Wireless network and selected bandwidth repeat

Abstract

A network environment includes a wireless base station and a repeater wireless station. The repeater wireless station receives first wireless communications and second wireless communications transmitted from a wireless base station. The repeater wireless station also receives schedule information notifying the repeater wireless station to retransmit at least the first wireless communications. In accordance with the schedule information, the repeater wireless station controls retransmission of the first wireless communications and the second wireless communications.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method comprising:
 at a repeater wireless station;
 receiving schedule information, the schedule information indicating how to control retransmission operations associated with the repeater wireless station; 
 receiving first wireless communications and second wireless communications transmitted from a wireless base station; and 
 as specified by the schedule information: i) retransmitting the first wireless communications from the repeater wireless station, the retransmitted first wireless communications being a replica of the first wireless communications received from the wireless base station; and ii) preventing retransmission of the second wireless communications from the repeater wireless station. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The method as in  claim 1 , wherein the schedule information indicates to retransmit the first wireless communications from the repeater wireless station; and
 wherein the schedule information indicates to prevent retransmission of the second wireless communications from the repeater wireless station. 
 
     
     
       3. The method as in  claim 1  further comprising:
 synchronizing the repeater wireless station with the wireless base station to receive the first wireless communications and the second wireless communications from the wireless base station in different timeslots over a wireless communication link, the wireless communication link established between the wireless base station and the repeater wireless station. 
 
     
     
       4. The method as in  claim 3 , wherein the schedule information specifies that a first time slot of multiple timeslots associated with the wireless communication link is assigned to the repeater wireless station for repeating, the method further comprising:
 at the repeater wireless station, determining from the schedule information that the repeater wireless station is assigned the first time slot in which to receive the first wireless communications from the wireless base station over the wireless communication link. 
 
     
     
       5. The method as in  claim 4  further comprising:
 receiving the first wireless communications from the wireless base station in the first time slot; and 
 as specified by the schedule information indicating to retransmit the first wireless communications received in the first time slot, re-transmitting the first wireless communications from the repeater wireless station to a first mobile communication device. 
 
     
     
       6. The method as in  claim 5 , wherein the schedule information specifies that a second time slot of the multiple timeslots is assigned to the repeater wireless station, the method further comprising:
 at the repeater wireless station, determining from the schedule information that the repeater wireless station is assigned the second time slot in which to retransmit third wireless communications over the wireless communication link. 
 
     
     
       7. The method as in  claim 6  further comprising:
 receiving the third wireless communications from the wireless base station in the second time slot; and 
 as specified by the schedule information indicating to retransmit the third wireless communications received in the second time slot, re-transmitting the third wireless communications from the repeater wireless station to a second mobile communication device, the retransmitted third wireless communications being a replica of the third wireless communications received from the wireless base station. 
 
     
     
       8. The method as in  claim 1  further comprising:
 at the repeater wireless station, receiving the schedule information from the wireless base station. 
 
     
     
       9. The method as in  claim 1 ,
 wherein retransmitting the first wireless communications from the repeater wireless station includes re-transmitting the first wireless communications, as received in a first time slot, from the repeater wireless station to a first mobile communication device, the method further comprising: 
 as specified by the schedule information, re-transmitting third wireless communications received from the wireless base station in a second time slot, the third wireless communications transmitted from the repeater wireless station to a second mobile communication device. 
 
     
     
       10. The method as in  claim 1 , wherein the first wireless communications are destined for delivery to a first mobile communication device; and
 wherein the second wireless communications are destined for delivery to a second mobile communication device. 
 
     
     
       11. The method as in  claim 10 , wherein the first mobile communication device resides in a first region of wireless coverage supported by the repeater wireless station; and
 wherein the second mobile communication device resides in a second region of wireless coverage supported by the wireless base station, the first region of wireless coverage residing outside of the second region of wireless coverage. 
 
     
     
       12. The method as in  claim 10 , wherein retransmitting the first wireless communications includes: from the repeater wireless station, retransmitting the replica of the first wireless communications to the first mobile communication device. 
     
     
       13. The method as in  claim 12 , wherein the schedule information is encoded to prevent retransmission of the second wireless communications from the repeater wireless station in response to the wireless base station transmitting the second wireless communications directly to the second mobile communication device. 
     
     
       14. The method as in  claim 1 , wherein the schedule information specifies that a first time slot of multiple timeslots is assigned to the repeater wireless station for retransmitting the first wireless communications. 
     
     
       15. The method as in  claim 14 , wherein the schedule information specifies that the repeater wireless station is assigned the first time slot in which to receive the first wireless communications over a wireless communication link. 
     
     
       16. The method as in  claim 14 , wherein the schedule information specifies that a second time slot of the multiple timeslots is not assigned to the repeater wireless station for retransmission of any wireless communications received from the wireless base station. 
     
     
       17. The method as in  claim 1 , wherein the schedule information specifies an amount of wireless bandwidth to support retransmission of the first wireless communications. 
     
     
       18. The method as in  claim 1 , wherein the schedule information specifies at least one carrier frequency at which to retransmit the received first wireless communications. 
     
     
       19. The method as in  claim 18 , wherein the schedule information specifies a time slot of multiple timeslots in which to retransmit the replica of the first wireless communications from the repeater wireless station to a first mobile communication device to which the first wireless communications are destined for delivery. 
     
     
       20. The method as in  claim 1 , wherein the schedule information indicates a first direction in which the repeater wireless station is to retransmit the first wireless communications in a first time slot of multiple timeslots to a first mobile communication device. 
     
     
       21. The method as in  claim 20 , wherein the schedule information indicates a second direction in which the repeater wireless station is to retransmit third wireless communications received from the first mobile communication device to the wireless base station in a second time slot of the multiple timeslots. 
     
     
       22. The method as in  claim 1 , wherein the first wireless communications are destined for delivery to a first mobile communication device residing in a first region of wireless coverage supported by the repeater wireless station; and
 wherein the second wireless communications are destined for delivery to a second mobile communication device residing in a second region of wireless coverage supported by the wireless base station, the first region of wireless coverage being disposed outside of the second region of wireless coverage. 
 
     
     
       23. The method as in  claim 1 , wherein the first wireless communications are destined for delivery to a first mobile communication device residing in a first region of wireless coverage supported by the repeater wireless station, the first region of wireless coverage disposed between the wireless base station and the repeater wireless station; and
 wherein the second wireless communications are destined for delivery to a second mobile communication device residing in a second region of wireless coverage supported by the wireless base station. 
 
     
     
       24. A system comprising:
 a repeater wireless station operative to:
 receive schedule information controlling operation of the repeater wireless station; 
 receive first wireless communications and second wireless communications from a wireless base station; and 
 
 as specified by the schedule information: i) retransmit the first wireless communications from the repeater wireless station, the retransmitted first wireless communications being a replica of the first wireless communications received from the wireless base station, and ii) prevent retransmission of the second wireless communications from the repeater wireless station. 
 
     
     
       25. The system as in  claim 24 , wherein the schedule information indicates to retransmit the first wireless communications from the repeater wireless station; and
 wherein the schedule information indicates to prevent retransmission of the second wireless communications from the repeater wireless station. 
 
     
     
       26. The system as in  claim 24 , wherein the repeater wireless station is further operative to:
 synchronize the repeater wireless station with the wireless base station to receive the first wireless communications and the second wireless communications in different timeslots over a wireless communication link from the wireless base station. 
 
     
     
       27. The system as in  claim 26 , wherein the schedule information specifies that a first time slot of multiple timeslots is assigned to the repeater wireless station, wherein the repeater wireless station is further operative to:
 decode the schedule information to identify that the repeater wireless station is assigned the first time slot in which to receive the first wireless communications. 
 
     
     
       28. The system as in  claim 27 , wherein the repeater wireless station is further operative to:
 receive the first wireless communications from the wireless base station in the first time slot; and 
 in accordance with the schedule information, re-transmit the first wireless communications from the repeater wireless station to a first mobile communication device. 
 
     
     
       29. The system as in  claim 28 , wherein the schedule information specifies that a second time slot of the multiple timeslots is assigned to the repeater wireless station; and
 wherein the repeater wireless station is further operative to: 
 decode the schedule information to identify that the repeater wireless station is assigned the second time slot in which to repeat the first wireless communications. 
 
     
     
       30. The system as in  claim 29 , wherein the repeater wireless station is further operative to:
 receive the second wireless communications from the wireless base station in the second time slot; and 
 in accordance with the schedule information, re-transmit the second wireless communications from the repeater wireless station to a second mobile communication device. 
 
     
     
       31. The system as in  claim 24 , wherein the repeater wireless station is further operative to:
 at the repeater wireless station, receive the schedule information from the wireless base station. 
 
     
     
       32. The system as in  claim 24 , wherein the repeater wireless station is further operative to:
 in accordance with the schedule information: i) re-transmit the first wireless communications, as received in a first time slot, from the repeater wireless station to a first mobile communication device, and ii) re-transmit the second wireless communications, as received in a second time slot, from the repeater wireless station to a second mobile communication device. 
 
     
     
       33. Computer-readable storage hardware having instructions stored thereon, the instructions, when carried out by computer processor hardware, cause the computer processor hardware to manage operation of a repeater wireless station, the communication processor hardware operative to:
 receive schedule information: 
 receive first wireless communications and second wireless communications from the wireless base station; and 
 as specified by the schedule information: i) retransmit the first wireless communications from the repeater wireless station, the retransmitted first wireless communications being a replica of the first wireless communications received from the wireless base station, and ii) prevent retransmission of the second wireless communications from the repeater wireless station.